I have been here, here on the farm anyhow. The web presence has been neglected but I'm reappropriating some time to tend the website. A weekly picture and an update on what is happening on the farm is the plan, that is so long as it rains once a week to better accommodate what is relegated to the office work realm.
Memorial Day weekend was spent juggling weddings and the season's first cutting of hay. I'm really pleased with the quality of the alfalfa/fescue and alfalfa/orchardgrass blends this early in the season. I seeded out the first alfalfa crop on the farm last August and this was the first cutting to come off that field. More alfalfa will certainly be going into the ground. The TrafficPro from Kingfisher has deeper set crowns to protect the plant's growing tips from tires and hooves. I'm looking forward to grazing this field this fall when it has some stockpiled growth. It'll be a good test of this variety and it's ability to overwinter with 2-3" of residue. The alfalfa and adjoining hay meadows will be mowed and grazed until spring 2017 when corn returns to the upper field.

Mowed on Friday, baled on Monday. Rained Tuesday and looking like it will for the next week or so. A rare four day window of drying weather. This mower also crimps the hay crop which makes a substantial difference in the amount of drying time and amount the hay must be stirred or tedded by breaking the stems and allowing for more thorough evaporation.